Apparatus for electric welding.



No. 795,541. I PATENTED JULY 25, 1905. J G PERRY, DEOD. w. s. PERRY,nxzou'ron. APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC WELDING. APPLICATION FILEDMAR.23,1901. RENEWED JAN. 7.1905.

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W S PERRY E EOUTOB x APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC WELDING. APPLICATION IILEI)M A R.23,1901. RENEWED my. 7. 1905. A

UNITED STATES PATENT orricn.

JOHN C. PERRY, OF CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS; WILLIAM S. PERRY, EXECUTOR OFSAID JOHN C. PERRY, DECEASED; SAID EXECUTOR ASSIGNOR TO CLINTON WIRECLOTH COMPA'i-IY, OF CLINTON, MAS- SACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1905.

Application filed March 23, 1901. Renewed January '7, 1905. Serial No.240,084.

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, JOHN C.- PERRY, of Clinton, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Ele'c tric Welding, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for making a plurality of weldssimultaneously; and it consists in the novel features of constructionand relative arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described in thespecification, clearly illustrated in the drawings, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis application, in which like characters are used to indicate likeparts wherever they occur.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing an apparatus constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.Fig. 3, in a side elevation, shows a modified form of an apparatusconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a front elevationof the same. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of theelectrodes or pressure members.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the framework 1 of the machine, thetransformer 2, and insulating parts 3 may be of any preferred or desiredconstruction and arrangement.

10 represents a lower stationary electrode formed with two jaws 11 11.This electrode is removably held in place by the screw 19. The upperelectrode 12 is secured to the lower end of a plunger 13 and is arrangedto reciprocate in the framework, as shown. The connection between theelectrode 12 and the plunger 13 is of such a character as to permit therocking of the electrode for purposes hereinafter described.

14 represents a head secured in the end of the plunger by a screw 15.Electrode 12 rests in a recess 16 in the end of the head, the recessbeing deep enough to permit the rocking of the electrode in the recess.The electrode 12 upon its side is formed with trunnions 17. (Shown indotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Figs. 2 and These trunnio'nsare arranged in complemental recesses in the lower end of the head 11and are prevented from dropping out of the recesses by spring-clips 18.(See Fig. 1.) By this construction electrode 12 can rock, permitting oneend to rise and the other to drop, thus allowing the electrode toautomatically adjust itself to the varying conditions present at eachwelding-joint during the time of weld. The upper end of the plunger 13is formed with a projecting ear 19, arranged to be engaged by a lever20, whereby the plunger may be lifted against the pressure of the spring21 and whereby the plunger may be lowered to seat the electrodes uponthe parts to be welded before the application of the welding-current.The spring 21, as shown, is arranged between the upper end of theplunger and a plate 22, carried by rods 23, secured to the framework.The action and function of this spring are to force the electrodestogether and the parts between them as the material softens at thejoints or places of weld in order to secure the predetermined amount ofupset before the welding-curren is broken.

24 represents an ear upon the plunger 13, carrying an adjustablecontact-screw 25. A wire 26 from said ear leads to an electromagnet 28,Whose Wiring is in series with the wiring of asecondary coil 00 on thecore of the transformer 2.

27 represents a Wire running from a spring 29 to the coil w, completingthe circuit of the electromagnet.

y y represent the primary circuit. The electromagnet 28 is arranged tobreak the primary circuit of the transformer, and therefore cut off andstop the action of the welding-current when the contact-screw 25 engagesthe spring 29, thus closing the circui of the magnet.

It is obvious that any suitable mechanica circuit-breaker may besubstituted for the magnetic circuit-breaker here shown and described.The parts are so arranged by the adjustment of the screw 25 that whenthe proper amount of upset has been reached, or, in other words, theelectrode 12 has descended to a predetermined point, the screw 25engages the spring 29, thus automatically closing the magnet-circuit andbreaking the primary circuit of the transformer to stop the action ofthe welding-current. The electrodes are seated against the wires 30 31,as stated,

-to break the welding-current.

by means of a lever 20, although any other desired means for loweringelectrode 12 into engagement with the wires or parts to be welded may beemployed. Thereafter the current is applied, and as the material softensthe electrodes are forced together by the action of the spring to apredetermined point, and thereafter by the action of the magnet 28 theprimary circuit of the transformer is broken and the welding actionstopped.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for making aplurality of welds without the use of separate transformers, plunger-s,and circuit-breakers for each weld or joint. This is a very greatadvantage in manufacturing welded fabrics having a large number ofclosely-positioned welds or crossjoints, as it enables me to do awaywith a multiplicity of parts, such as duplications of transformers andtheir accessory connections, and at the same time enables me to makewelds that are satisfactorily uniform. So far as I am aware in thosecases where automatic multiple welding has been attempted prior to myinvention substantial uniformity of the welds has not been accomplishedexcept by the use of independent transformers and their accessorydevices for each weld, for the reason that any imperfection in anyparticular joint being welded would retard the action in that joint orjoints, so that the Welding action of the'other joints would becompleted before the welding of said joints had practically commenced.Many other difficulties of kindred nature have rendered this multiplewelding with a single transformer and single circuitbreaker impracticalprior to my invention. For illustration and referring to Figs. 1 and 2,assuming the electrode 12 to be like the electrode 10 and having norocking motion or adjustment and assuming the electrode to be seatedagainst the wires 30 31 or the parts to be welded, it will be seen thatupon the application of the welding-current if for any reason, such asthe presence of dirt or other unusual resistance, the parts at theleft-hand side of the electrode did not soften sufficiently to let theelectrode 12 approach the lower electrode, while at the same time theparts 30 31 on the right-hand side were sufliciently softened to permitthe described action, the electrode 12 could not descend by the actionof the spring 21 sufficient to bring the contact screw 25 intoengagement with the spring 29 The result would be that the softenedparts 30 31 at the right would be melted and burned out, while the parts30 31 at the left would not be welded at all. Such were some of thedifficulties encountered in multiple welding with one transformer priorto my invention. By the construction shown in the drawings, however,with particular reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 5, if the parts 30 31 atthe right softened ahead of the parts 30 31 at the left the electrode 12by means of the trunnions 17 willadjust itself automatically to thiscondition, the right-hand end of the electrode will drop as the partsunder it soften. Then as the parts 30 31 under the left-hand end softenthat end of the electrode will also drop or be forced down by the actionof the spring 21. When the downward movement is sufiicient to bring thescrew 25 into contact with the spring 29, the welding-current is brokenand the electrode is raised by means of the lever 20 or any otherdesired means. By means of this self-adjustment of the electrode 12 anequal upsetting-pressure is maintained at each weld, and the point atwhich the primary circuit of the transformer is broken or the welding-current stopped depends upon the average movement of the two ends ofthe electrode as the two welds are made, the movement of the plungerbeing inall cases the same, whether the two ends of the electrodedescend equally or unevenly. Sometimes one weld will be a little heavierthan the other, owing to the presence of dirt,&c., between the wires atone point of welding, the wires at the other point being clean. It willbe seen that by the adjustability of the electrode if the parts on oneside do not soften at all through some defective condition the movementof the other side of the electrode will be sufficient to permit therequired travel of the plunger 13 to break the circuit before any damageresults, although in such case the weld or welds that were made would beproportionately heavier just as the defective or incomplete weld orwelds were defective or incomplete. In this invention the primarycurrent is broken automatically when a predetermined amount of upset hasbeen obtained, and this breaking of the Welding-current is due to theaverage of the amount of upset of the several welds instead of dependingupon the amount of upset of one weld.

In Figs. 3 and 4: a separate electrode 1O is provided for each point ofweld, the electrode 10 or the upper electrode being movable and thelower electrode 41 being stationary. A contact-screw 25, instead ofbeing carried by the plunger 13, is carried by an insulated bar 12,pivoted at one end upon one plunger and formed with a fork 13 at itsopposite end engaging a headed pin upon the other plunger 18, as shownin Fig. 4:, for the purpose of permitting the downward movement of oneplunger with relation to the other and at the same time give to thecontact-screw 25 a movement that is theaverage of the two plungers, sothat if both plungers descend alike the circuit to the magnet will beclosed at a predetermined point, while if one plunger descends ahead ofthe other for any reason the movement of the screw 25 will not beaffected, the bar 42 giving the screw 25 the same amount of motionwhether the plungers descend equally or unequally. The

principle of this modification is the same as that of the mechanism ofFigs. 1 and 2. While the electrodes are independent and the movement ofone does not affect the other, yet the point at which thewelding-current is cut oif depends upon the average of the amount ofupsetting motion of the two electrodes shown or the number of electrodesemployed, as in the case of the construction in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, wherethe electrode tilts or rocks instead of a bar 42. In Fig. 3 thesecondary circuit 60 is shown diagrammatically, the other parts of thetransformer not being shown.

Various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in theart both in the mechanism employed and the arrangement of the circuitswithout at all departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Ibelieve myself to be the first to make multiple welds by the use of twoor more automatic pressure members, devices, apparatuses, or mechanismshaving provisions for automatically equalizing upsetting-pressure,whether said welds are employed to make fabric, as in the form of workselected for illustration in this application, or whether butt-welds aremade or other form of welds for other kinds of work or purposes.

By pressure mechanisms I wish to be understood as including not only anadjustable electrode having two or more welding parts, as shown in Figs..1 and 2, but two or more otherwise independent electrodes or plungersconnected by an equalizing bar or part or any mechanism by which thedescribed function may be accomplished.

I desire to claim this invention in the broadest possible legal manner.

7 Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described a wayof constructing and using the same, though without attempting to setforth all the forms in which it may be made or all the modes of its use,what I I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In combination with the cooperative elements of an electric-weldingapparatus, a plurality of pressure members, each arranged to exertupsetting-pressure to form an independent weld, and means forautomatically equalizing the upsetting-pressure applied simultaneouslyto the said members.

2. In an electric-welding apparatus, in combination, a plurality ofelectric-welding jaws, means whereby the breaking of the. weldingcurrentis controlled by the average'amount of upset of a plurality of welds.

3. In combination with the cooperative elements of an electric-weldingapparatus, means arranged to apply upsetting-pressure at a plurality ofindependent welding-points to form independent welds, and means wherebythe upsetting-pressure at said separate points will be keptsubstantially equal, irrespective of the relative speed at which thewelds are made.

4. In an electric-welding apparatus, in combination, means for weldingat a plurality of separate points, automatically-acting means wherebythe breaking of the welding-current is controlled by the average amountof upset at a plurality of said welding-points.

5. In combination with the cooperative elements of an electric-weldingapparatus, a plurality of electric-welding jaws, a plurality of plungerscarrying movable welding-jaws,con nections between said plungers, andcircuitbreaking means carried by said connections, whereby the movementof said connections to break the welding-circuit is controlled by theaverage amount of movement of the plungers.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN C. PERRY.

